Liquid-elevating apparatus



Feb. 1 1925- 1,525,485

A. C; WOOD LIQUID ELEVATING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 51, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet1 Feb. 0, 1925. 1,525,485

A. c. WOOD LIQUiD ELEVATING APPARATUS A. C. WOOD LIQUID ELEVATINGAPPARATUS Filed Oct. 61, 1921 Patented Feb. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES ANDREW G. WOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LIQUID-ELEVATING APPARATUS.

Application filed October 31, 1921. Serial No. 511,704.

To all whom it may concern: i

Be it known that I, ANDREW O. Woon, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Liquid-ElevatingApparatus, of which the following is a de scription.

My invention belongs to that general class of devices known as liquidelevating apparatus, and relates particularly to an apparatus forfeeding or supplying a fluid or liquid to meet the required demand, thesame being designed to elevate the fluid, if required, or draw the samefrom any desired point of supply. The device is particularly adapted fordrawing gasoline or hydrocarbon from a supply tank and supplying it tothe carburetor of an internal combustion engine as required, but itsuse, however, is not limited to this alone, as it may be used whereverfound applicable.

The invention has among its objects the production of a device of thekind described that is simple, compact, durable, reliable, efiicient,satisfactory and positive in action.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosures herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel constructidn, arrangementand combination of parts herein shown and described, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts,

Fig. 1 is a sectional view through one form of my improved device;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken. substantially on the line 22 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating a slightly modifiedconstruction;

gig. 5 is a top elevation of the device; an

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of another modified construction.

Referring to the drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of myinvention are shown, 1 represents a shell or tank part which is providedwith a bottom 2 and closure 3, the several parts being constructed inany desired manner. IOrdinarily I prefer to arrange the closure part 3so that it may be removed when desired, the same being secured in placebyscrews or any equivalent for the urpose..

I have illustrate a filtering screen 4 arranged between the body part 1and the closure part 3, the part 3 being preferably constructed so as toprovide a chamber 5 above the screen, it being understood, however, thatthe screen may be depressed to afford the same results.

The device is provided with an intake pipe 6, preferably connectedwi'than inlet duct in closure 3 and with the discharge pipe 7 as well as withthe drain outlet which may be controlled by a drain cock 8 or theequivalent. It will be seen that the screen when employed is interposedbetween the inlet and outlet.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, closure part 3 is provided witha duct 9-10, suitable means being provided -for inducing the flow of thefluid through and from the intake pipe 6 into said duct and dischargedthrough port 11 into the chamber 5 of the device, from whence it passesthrough the screen into the lower portion of the easing. Obviously thescreen 4 may be omitted, as the same is not essential, but merelyremoves any sediment or particles that are too large to pass through thescreen. As shown in the illustration, there is provided a pum and anysatisfactory type of pump may e used, that shown consisting of thecooperating members 12 and 13, which, when driven, cause the passage offluid through the ducts 9 and 10, and port 11 into the tank, as will bemore fully described hereinafter.

Members 12 and 13 may be driven in any suitable manner, a simpleconstruction being shown most clearly in Fig. 3, in which 14 is theshaft connected with member 12 and arranged to be driven by a pulley 15,sprocket wheel or any equivalent for the purpose. Shaft 14 is providedwith a gear 16, arranged to mesh with gear 18 on shaft 17, which drivesmember 13, so that members 12 and 13 are driven together and constitutea pump.

As most clearly shown in Fig. 3 referred to, a duct or port 19 isprovided connecting the gear chamber 20 with the interior of the device,21 being a vent ipe. Obviously the vent may be at any other desiredpoint, but this construction, as shown, is generally pre an arm 28,pivot-ally supported at 29. Arm

28 is arranged to be controlled by a float 30, or its equivalent. Asshown, the float is provided with a stem 31 carrying the clutch member32 arranged to cooperate with the arm 28 and raise the same when thefloat rises a predetermined distance. I whether it be air or the liquiditself, through have shown the float provided with a stem 35 at-thebottom, arranged to cooperate with the guide 34 provided on thedepending part 33 of the tubular member 23. If desired, a guiding member36 may be arranged onthe closure for guiding the upper end of the float.Preferably, but not necessary,

I provide a check valve 37 of any desired type in the feed line orintake pipe 6.

The operation of this form of device may be briefly described asfollows: It may be assumed that the tank is empty but that the pumpingmembers 12 and 13 are driven, thereby inducing a flow of fluid throughthe intake pipe 6, thence through the pump, and finally be dischargedthrough port 11 into the tank, Obviously the same will be againdischarged or drawn off through the. discharge pipe 7. The capacity ofthe pump, however, being greater than the demand of the apparatus fed bypipe 7, the fluid will accumulate in the tank, and as it accumulates itwill finally reach the point where the float being raised, will open thevalve 27 through the mechanism described or its equivalent. Openingvalve 27 will permit the entrance of air or vapor in the casing or tankto enter port 26 and pass through the ducts 2524 and 9 into the duct 9and thence through the pump and duct 10 back into the tank. In otherwords, there will be a circulation of the air or any fluid that may passthe valve 27. Consequently there will be no draw on the pipe 6 and noadditional fluid will be pumped into the tank. As the fluid is drawnfrom the tank through the pipe 7, if the same is not replenished, thefloat will tend to drop and close the valve 27. Consequently theintroduction of fluid from intake pipe6 will be renewed and continueduntil the float is again raised.

The construction shown in Fig. 4 is substantially similar except in thiscase pipe 39 extends to adjacent the lower portion of the tank so thatthe lower end of the duct 40 indicated at 41 is below the float. Thevalve mechanism consisting of valve 42, arm 43 supported at 44, clutchmember 45 arranged on the stem 47 of the float 46, is substantiallysimilar to that previously described. In this case the float is providedwith the guiding stems 47 and 48 and arranged to cooperate with theguides 49 and 50. The operation of this type of apparatus issubstantially'similar to that described, except that being below thenormal level of the fluid in the tank, the fluid itself is pumped orchurned and circulated instead of the air'or vapor. In other respectsthe device is similar and indeed both of the constructions illustratedmight be combined in the. same tank. However, this is a needlessexpense, as one is sufficient. Either one permits'a circulation offluid,

the pump, which automatically controls the introduction of fresh fluidorliquid into the chamber. I have illustrated a simple valve construction.butit should be understood that the valve construction itself isimmaterial. A modified valve construction is shown in Fig. 6, in which51 represents a tubular depending part extending the desired distanceinto the tank, the passage of fluid throughthe tubular bore 52 of thesame being controlled by a' valve 53. Valve 53 is shown connected withan arm 54 connectcd to part 55 on the float 56. Obviously, the floatraises or lowers to control the valve and the circulation of fluid inthe device itself.

It will be noted in the device herein described that the same consistsof substantially few parts, is compact, and that there is nothingcomplicated to get out of order or wear. The same doesnot need primingand will become operative immediately the pumping members 12 and 13 aredriven. The device is designed to supply all the fluid that is neededand operates automatically. The same will draw fluid from a point belowthe tank, making it particularly adapted for use on automobiles wherethe gasoline or fuel supply tank may be suspended, for example, from therear. In operation, substantially a constant level is maintained in thedevice.

The device may be said to be automatically operable to control theadmission of fluid to the tank from a source of supply or circulatefluid in the tank, this depending upon the demand or amount of fluidrequired. I

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same Without departing fromthe spirit of my invention;

hence I do not wish to be understood as tank, an outlet, a pump in thepath of flow of said liquid through said inlet passage, a second passageleading from said firstmentioned passage in advance of said pump andcommunicating with said tank, and float operated means controlling theflow through said last-mentioned passage.

2. In combination, a tank having an inlet passage for discharging liquidinto said tank, an outlet. a constantly driven pump in the path of flowthrough said passage, a second passage leading from said inlet passagein advance of said pump and communicating with said tank and normallyclosed. and float operated means operable to permit flow through saidlast-mentioned passage only when the liquid in said tank has reached apredetermined level.

3. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a tank havingan inlet thereto, and an outlet therefrom, said inlet communicating witha source of liquid supply, a pump for inducing the flow of liquid fromsaid inlet and discharging it into said tank, a second ductcommunicating with said inlet in advance of the intake side of saidpump, and a float-controlled valve controlled by the height of theliquid in said tank to control the passage through said last-mentionedduct whereby when said valve is opened fluid from the interior of saidtank will be induced to flow through said duct and inlet and back intosaid tank, interrupting the flow of liquid through said inletfrom saidsource of supply.

4. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a tank havingan inlet passage and an outlet. said inlet communicating with a sourceof liquid supply and discharging it into said tank, a pump in said inletfor controlling the flow of liquid through said inlet into said tank, atube leading from said inlet from a point in advance of the intake ofthe pump and communicating with the interior of the tank, a valve at thedischarge end of said tube, a gravity float controlled by the liquid inthe tank and connected to said valve to unseat it when the level ofliquid within the tank reaches a predetermined height, whereby fluidfrom Within the tank will be caused to circulate through said tube,inlet and pump, and back into the tank, while at the same timeinterrupting the flow of liquid through said inlet from said source ofsup- In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name 1n thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

